Seal for envelops.



PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

I. OORRIGAN. SEAL FOR BNVELOPS.

APIPLIOATION FILED 11.14. 1905v f w f rne ys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

i V W 11E, PENNSYLVANIA. SEAL FOR ENVELOPS- FREDRICK CORRIGAN. OF JE No. 818,746. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 14,1905. Serial No. 255,620-

Patented April 24, 1 906.

site end of the strip. The end S of the strip is then bent rearwardly upon itself in a plane approximately parallel to the extreme end of the opposite end of the strip.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings 1 have illustrated an envelop consisting of a bottom flap 9, end flaps 1O 10, and a sealing-flap 11. After the envelop has been closed and it is desired to firmly secure the same in a closed position my improved seal is placed in position to en gage the sealing-flap 11. and end flaps 10 10. To accomplish this, the edges 12 12 of the seal are inserted in the envelop near the apex of the sealingflap. When the seal is forced into engagement with the envelop, the lower flap 9, end flaps 10 10, and sealing-flap 11 being pierced lie between the folds 5 and 6 and 2 and 3 of the strip of metal, and should it be attempted to remove the seal the edges of the flaps will engage the extreme ends 4 and 8 of the seal and prevent the seal from being withdrawn. In order to insert the seal in the envelop, one end of the seal-say, for instance, the left-hand end-is first inserted and brought to the position shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 3, the opposite end of the seal meanwhile not being inserted. After the lefthand end has been inserted the right hand end is temporarily somewhat straightened outthat is to say, the parts 3 4 are straightened outat a position substantially at right angles to the central part 1, and then these parts are inserted tln'ough the slit intended to receive them, the body portion fulcruming on the opposite side, and when the parts 3 4 have passed through the slit they will, through their own resiliency, assume the position in which they are shown in Fig. 3. It will be impossible for any one to tamper with an envelop equipped with my improved seal, owing to any withdrawal movement of the seal, causing the edges of the paper to tear and become disfigured, this operation being easily detected by a person examining the envelop.

\Vhile I have herein d cscribed the preferred manner of forming my improved seal, it is obvious that various materials may be used and the ends of the seal may be folded or bent to other configurations, which would easily deface the envelop should the seal be tampered with.

It will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention.

To 1/, 10/1/0711, warty concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRICK CORRIGAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Jeannette, in the county of Vestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seals for Envelops, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in seals for envelops; and the invention has for its object to provide a novel form of seal adapted to be applied to an envelop after it has been closed, whereby the envelop cannot be surreptitiously opened or tampered with while the envelop is being transmitted from the sender to the receiver.

The invention aims to provide a seal which will be extremely simple in construction, strong and durable, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and a seal constructed in accordance with my invention is preferably formed of sheet metal, each seal being sheared and bent to the necessary configuration in order that the seal may be applied and placed in position in the envelop to accomplish the above-mentioned purpose.

The construction of my improved seal will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings accompanying this application, Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved seal. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation view of an envelop, illustrating my improved seal. applied thereto; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the envelop equipped with my improved seal.

Throughout the several views of the drawings like numerals of reference designate correspoi'iding parts, and the reference-mimeral l designates a strip of metal forming my improved seal. The seals are preferably made of a resilient metal or material, and the one end of the strip of metal is bent upon itself, as indicated at 2, and then bent outwardly tangentially from the central portion of the seal, as indicated at 3. The extreme end of the strip of metal is then bent upon itself, as indicated at 4. The opposite end of the strip of metal is bent twice upon itself, as indicated at 5 and 6, and then bent outwardly tangentially to the central portion of the strip, as indicated at 7, this tangential portion of the strip of metal lying approximately in a plane parallel to the tangential portion of the opporearwardly and in the same direction upon the tangentially disposed portions of said strip, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDRIOK OORRIGAN.

WVitnesses:

O. P. BLANK, WM. E. CAREY. 

